Causes

Nicotine is the chemical in tobacco that keeps you smoking. Nicotine is very addictive when delivered to the lungs by inhaling tobacco smoke. It increases the release of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which help regulate mood and behavior. One of these neurotransmitters is dopamine, which may improve your mood and activate feelings of pleasure. Experiencing these effects from nicotine in tobacco is what makes tobacco so addictive.

Nicotine dependence involves behavioral as well as physical factors. Behaviors and cues that you may associate with smoking include:

Certain times of the day, such as first thing in the morning, with morning coffee or during breaks at work

After a meal

Drinking alcohol

Certain places or friends

Talking on the phone

Stressful situations or when you're feeling down

Sight or smell of a burning cigarette

Driving your car

To overcome your dependence on tobacco, you need to deal with the behaviors and routines that you associate with smoking.

Preventing tobacco use among youth and young adults: A report of the surgeon general — Executive summary. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2012/index.htm. Accessed April 16, 2013.

Legal Conditions and Terms

Reprint Permissions

A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.